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THE ADVENTURES OF AN AUSSIE EXPAT, QUILTER & PATTERN DESIGNER IN COLORADO: This blog chronicles my adventures as a quilter. I am an empty nester, my 3 sons are all adults, I also have a wonderful husband and three gorgeous dogs I adore Ebony the Maltipoo, Henry the Cockapoo & Zoe the DorkieWhat made me start quilting?I had a neighbor growing up that quilted and I'd always loved quilt fabric, so I wanted to try it. But I thought I'd learn once I retired. Then in 2012 I had a nearly fatal pulmonary embolism and realized that life is too short for later. What I love about quilting is...The color, the variation, the fact that even a person who doesn't consider them self an artist can create works of art by choosing fabric and following a pattern to create a one of kind piece. The fact that I am never bored, I can always sew, design, imagine or fantasize about projects I'd love to create.I blog because...This started as a visual diary of my quilt making, more for me than the blogosphere. But I discovered the virtual quilting community is equally as supportive and inspiring as the real life quilt club I attend.What sort of quilts do I like to make?Quilts to be used and loved!Scrap quilts.Paper pieced quilts I have designed from scratch.Quilts that represent facets of my personality, interests and lifestyle.Who am I?I am happily married.In my 40sI was an education assistant supporting special needs students for 12 yrs then I completed a bachelors degree in my 30s and was a teacher for a year before beginning to focus on two of my passions pattern design and dealing in vintage kitchenware.

I emigrated to the USA and took up residence in Colorado in late 2012.I have three sons who are young adults of college age.Two sons still live in Australia and one studies here in the USI have two fluffy dogs, Ebony the Maltipoo and Henry the Cockapoo

And a tiny 7lb dachshund x yorkie

I grew up in a rural community in north west New South Wales, Australia. A town of approximately 7,000 people. My parents still live there on a 100 acre farm they retired to 20 years ago, it really is a slice of heaven:

I have lived in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and now Denver Colorado since leaving home at 16 yrs old.So all those things have brought me to where I am today reveling in my own creativity something I never imagined I had until I began to quilt!

I have made my dogs some dog jackets lately and was asked for the pattern, since all dogs are different sizes that is difficult to do, but I am going to do a tutorial showing how I did it.

This is the pattern for my medium sized dog Henry the Cockapoo, I have laid it on my cutting mat folded in half and lined up with the inch marks so that you can copy the pattern onto a grid if you would like to try this:

And this is the pattern for my small Maltipoo Ebony again it is folded in half and lined up on the inch grid so you can copy it if you would like to:

Once you have created a paper pattern you can lay it over your dog to determine if you need to enlarge the pattern or decrease the size to suit your own dog.
Then you need a piece of fabric and some batting. Any scrappy patchwork or UFO you no longer want will do fine for this or you can take the time to create a patchwork design that suits your dogs personality. Spray baste the top to the battingLay the pattern on top and cut out the p…